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She wrote: “The media’s wild obsession with the identity of the anonymous coward is recklessly tarnishing the reputation of thousands of great Americans who proudly serve our country and work for President Trump.

“Stop. If you want to know who this gutless loser is, call the opinion desk of the failing NYT at [phone number], and ask them.

“They are the only ones complicit in this deceitful act. We stand united together and fully support our President Donald J. Trump.”

Times reporters have already reported calls are starting to come in in response to the tweet.

"Was tempted to tell the woman (who sounded very nice!) that it was Don jr [The President's son] and get it over with.

Titled, "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration," the writer describes how Trump is facing "a test to his presidency unlike any faced by a modern American leader.”

It read: “From the White House to executive branch departments and agencies, senior officials will privately admit their daily disbelief at the commander in chief’s comments and actions. Most are working to insulate their operations from his whims.

(Image: AFP)

"Meetings with him veer off topic and off the rails, he engages in repetitive rants, and his impulsiveness results in half-baked, ill-informed and occasionally reckless decisions that have to be walked back.

“There is literally no telling whether he might change his mind from one minute to the next, a top official complained to me recently, exasperated by an Oval Office meeting at which the president flip-flopped on a major policy decision he’d made only a week earlier.”

(Image: Getty Images North America)

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It continued: "The erratic behaviour would be more concerning if it weren’t for unsung heroes in and around the White House. Some of his aides have been cast as villains by the media. But in private, they have gone to great lengths to keep bad decisions contained to the West Wing, though they are clearly not always successful.

"It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room.

"We fully recognise what is happening. And we are trying to do what’s right even when Donald Trump won’t."

In explaining its decision, the New York Times wrote atop the column: "We believe publishing this essay anonymously is the only way to deliver an important perspective to our readers."